It was almost a forgone conclusion that Lionsgate Entertainment would continue to seek new creative avenues for The Hunger Games post-2016. Director Francis Lawrence spoke recently about the possible permutations that the franchise could pursue after Miss. Everdeen makes her bow with next year’s Mockingjay – Part 2, citing the rich and vibrant world of Panem as the perfect jumping off point.
Today, though, we’ve learned that the studio is indeed going to pursue new adventures for Katinss and Co., but those tales will be told in an entirely different medium. That’s right, in partnership with Dutch media company Image Nation, Lionsgate Entertainment has announced plans to bring The Hunger Games to the stage in a new theatrical experience that is due to kick off in the summer of 2016.
Taking place within a purpose-built theater near Wembley stadium in London (rather apt for the franchise, don’t you think?), the studio will hope to expand upon the world of the series thus far and, ultimately, attract a whole new audience to Suzanne Collins’ dystopian universe. In fact, it’s understood that the aforementioned theater will be able to rotate 360 degrees much like the arena found in Catching Fire, with the idea being to envelope audiences in the production.
In tandem with the announcement, Lionsgate’s chief marketing officer, Tim Palen, released the following statement.
“Robin de Levita and the entire production team are the perfect partners for extending The Hunger Games franchise into a live theatrical experience. Their creative genius, combined with world-class production values and state-of-the-art technology will provide a uniquely immersive experience for fans around the world. I’m thrilled to be partnering with an innovative next generation studio like Lionsgate on a property that resonates so deeply with global audiences,” said DeLevita. “The theater is a fantastic medium to bring the many meaningful layers of Suzanne Collins’ writing to life.”
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 will soar into theaters on November 21st, 2014.
